By Mercy Aliwo.
LOKOJA – The Kogi State House of Assembly has taken decisive action to safeguard local cashew farmers and bolster the state’s economy by restricting direct access to farmers by foreign buyers. The Assembly passed a resolution calling on the state government to implement regulatory mechanisms to enforce adherence to the cashew nut value chain.
The move follows a motion introduced by Hon. Oluwaseyi Bello (APC-Kabba-Bunu), highlighting the exploitative practices of some foreign businessmen who bypass licensed buying agents to purchase cashew nuts directly from farmers. This practice, the Assembly argues, disrupts the established value chain and deprives the state of crucial revenue.
Hon. Bello emphasized Kogi’s position as the leading cashew nut producer in Nigeria, citing data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). He underscored the importance of the recently enacted Kogi State Commodity Exchange Market Law, aimed at supporting local farmers and enhancing productivity.
The motion calls for a complete ban on foreigners directly purchasing economic trees, limiting them to buying “Export Ready Dried Cashew Nuts” packaged in Kogi-branded jute bags. This measure aims to protect the seven segments of the cashew value chain, from farmers to exporters, each contributing significantly to the state’s economy and providing employment opportunities.
While some members, like Hon. Bode Ogunmola (PDP-Ogori-Magongo), argued for farmers’ freedom to sell to whomever they choose, others, including Deputy Speaker Rt Hon. Comfort Nwuchiola Egwaba (APC-Ibaji), stressed the need to educate farmers on the long-term negative impacts of selling entire farms to foreign entities.
Speaker Rt Hon. Aliyu Umar Yusuf affirmed the Assembly’s constitutional authority to protect its citizens and directed the House Committee on Agriculture to collaborate with the Ministry of Agriculture to develop and implement the necessary regulations.
